France is reaffirming its commitment to the Future Air Combat System (FCAS) project, despite recent doubts cast upon its progress. Just weeks after Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, expressed concerns about the program’s trajectory, french military officials have announced that Phase 2 is slated to commence within a year.

General Philippe Koffi, Head of the FCAS program at the General Directorate of Armament (DGA), and General Jean-Luc Moritz, the FCAS Director in the French Air Force and Space, provided updates on the project during a meeting at the Royal Aeronautical Society.

According to General Koffi, the Next generation weapons system (ng), the core of FCAS, has successfully navigated several critical reviews. These include defining the architecture of the New Generation Hunting (NGF) and the design of the demonstrator aircraft. The NGF is central to the project, which also envisions the development of unmanned aerial vehicles operating in coordination with the fighter and a combat cloud for enhanced system interconnection.

Technical Progress and Future Plans

The program has already made more 800 technical modifications…

General Koffi revealed that the program has already implemented over 800 technical modifications and is gearing up to launch Phase 2,expected in mid-2026. This phase will involve the construction of demonstrators and the commencement of flight tests, planned for 2029. Phase 1B, currently underway, will conclude in mid-2026, paving the way for Phase 2 and the subsequent flight tests.

Notably, 2026 was initially the target year for concluding Phase 2 and initiating Phase 3, which focuses on flight demonstrators. However,the program has faced delays due to disagreements between Dassault Aviation and Airbus,the leading German industrial partner,primarily concerning the industrial structure of the program.

FCAS as a Successor to Eurofighter and Rafale

The FCAS program aims to complement and eventually replace the Eurofighter and Rafale combat aircraft around 2040. The Eurofighter is a collaborative European project involving Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Dassault Aviation opted out of the Eurofighter program to develop its own fighter, the Rafale, now a major competitor.

The FCAS program is spearheaded by Airbus (Germany), Dassault Aviation (France), and Indra (Spain).Other key participants include engine suppliers Safran (France), Man Aero (Germany), and ITP Aero (Spain), as well as electronics and sensor companies Thales (France) and Hensoldt (Germany). Missile manufacturer Mbda, owned by BAE systems, Airbus, and Leonardo, is also involved.

Calls for Rethinking the FCAS Approach

Jean-Brice Dumont, head of Air Power at Airbus Defense and Space, recently emphasized the need to re-evaluate the FCAS program to remain competitive. Dumont suggests that the current target date of 2040 for system readiness is too distant,given the rapid advancements in the field. He proposes integrating collaborative systems into existing European combat aircraft like the Eurofighter and Rafale to address near-term capability gaps.